Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

SlCKB0Y

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 25, 2012
3,426
555
Sydney, Australia
I was having a discussion with a user in another thread about how long the average Android user in this subforum keeps their phone before before they upgrade it to newer hardware.

We disagreed on duration and I was honestly curious to find this out.

On average, how long do you keep your Android phone before upgrading to a newer model?

On average, how many smart phones do you own at any given time?
 

Krimsonmyst

macrumors 6502
Dec 18, 2012
302
1
For the past few years I've done it yearly. I'm on a SIM only plan (in Australia, not the US), so I usually buy the new handset then sell my old one. Did it with the iPhone 4, 4S, then a Galaxy S2 and am currently using a Galaxy S3.
Will most likely do the same with the S4 if it impresses.
 

Explicitic

macrumors 6502
Oct 26, 2012
455
11
Undecided
Usually every 2 months...though I wouldn't call necessarily call them "upgrades."
I always carry at least phones, sometimes 3. Most of the time the second phone is an iPhone.
 

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,343
4,867
Well it's not Android specific but I generally had been upgrading every year (iPhone) until this past May. Since then I've gone from a iP4s, a Galaxy Nexus in July, an iP5 in September, a Nexus 4 in December and now a Note 2 (purchased in January). Except for the GNex (almost broke even), I sold each of those phones for a profit so in essence, I've only spent the money to upgrade once and considering how happy I am with the Note 2, will likely stick with it for quite a while.
 

ChrisTX

macrumors 68030
Dec 30, 2009
2,690
54
Texas
I purchased my Galaxy SIII in June, and upgraded to the Nexus 4 in December, so generally 6 months lol. However, I'm back on the GS3, and will be selling my N4. Keeping it a year is usually sufficient. My next phone purchase will be the Note III. :cool:
 

LSUtigers03

macrumors 68020
Apr 9, 2008
2,089
41
I usually change phones at least every 2 months because I like trying out the latest and greatest. At any given time I'll have 2-3 phones.
 

matttye

macrumors 601
Mar 25, 2009
4,957
32
Lincoln, England
How often do you upgrade your Android phones?

Had my HTC desire for about 18 months before I got my Galaxy S2, then I had that for 6 months before I got the S3. Got my iPhone 6 months after that.
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,666
5,879
I have started to upgrade about every six months. I use to upgrade yearly when iphones were really the only phone on the market worth having IMO (07' - 11'), but in the last year and a half I find myself upgrading at least every six months.
 

Stuntman06

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2011
961
5
Metro Vancouver, B.C, Canada
I generally try to keep my phone as long as it is useful. My first smartphone was a Nokia N97. It was the worse phone of all time. Kept it for 7 months and finally had enough.

My next phone was an HTC Desire Z. I originally planned to keep this phone for 2 and a half years. The battery died at a very inopportune time and I had to rush to get a new phone (going on vacation the next day). I only kept it for one year and 8 months before getting my SGS3 which I still have now for 6 months.

My plan for the SGS3 is to keep it for another 2 years at least. Hopefully, I won't have another catistrophic battery failure a day before I am to leave on a trip.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.